1. We respectfully request that a complete and formal response to this petition be emailed to those who have signed in support of this petition.

2. We respectfully request that the response include the appropriate amount of detail needed to understand how the concerns of this petition will be addressed and resolved.

3. We respectfully request that a Feasibility Study for Edgewater Elementary School be planned, fully budgeted and conducted in 2013.

4. We respectfully request that funds are allocated to Edgewater Elementary School as part of Governor Martin O'Malley’s plan (announced on January 10, 2012) for new school construction; with said funding immediately available for construction plans following the completion of the Feasibility Study.

Details:

Our children are getting sick. The teachers and staff, that love and educate our children, are getting sick. The long term exposure, under these conditions; are hazards to the children’s developing bodies. Daily exposure causes headaches, asthma attacks, respiratory infections and more. Edgewater Elementary School (EES) is 59 years old. It is the oldest school in Anne Arundel County (AACO) to never have undergone a major renovation. In 2005, a MGT Study was conducted and rated EES as the school with the second worse building conditions of all schools in AACO. The only school rated worse was Belle Grove Elementary and they now occupy a brand new school. The budget proposed for 2013 does not have EES slated for a Feasibility Study. A Feasibility Study is slated for 2016, which means construction wouldn’t begin until 2019. The physical and environmental systems at EES are horrendous!

- Mold is visible on the walls and vents. - Leaking steam pipes are potential hazards for burns. - Ceiling tiles are buckling - which are used for asbestos abatement. - Pervasive musty smells and strange smelling steam steadily escaping from heating units. - Many classrooms have windows that won’t open because they are painted shut. - Even if the windows could open they can’t be because of multiple layers of peeling lead paint. - There are window air conditioning units that can't be used because they are so loud they obstruct learning. They are used at night to prepare the room as best possible by morning. - Air quality studies, conducted by the county, show elevated levels of CO2, high humidity levels and elevated levels of large particulates. -Preliminary findings by an independent consultant hired by the county has found mold and leaking steam pipes in the crawl space as well as an ineffective HVAC system in each classroom resulting in our unhealthy environment. - This year multiple families have withdrawn their children from the school because of continued respiratory infections and asthma while in school. - Dozens of teachers and students are also experiencing new onset asthma or the worsening of existing asthma, multiple sinus infections, headaches, bloody noses and rashes. - Many more parents are considering removing their children from school and parents of prospective students are looking at other school alternatives. - Our school is at 120% capacity, 20% of which are Hispanic. - The community is growing rapidly and many schools in the South River Feeder System, including Central Elementary, are way over capacity. - Our children's health and safety are at risk. The horrible building conditions are interfering with their ability to learn!- Our children cannot afford to wait until 2016 and beyond for a new school! Their futures depend on it!

Our Requests:1. We respectfully request that a complete and formal response to this petition be emailed to those who have signed in support of this petition. 2. We respectfully request that the response include the appropriate amount of detail needed to understand how the concerns of this petition will be addressed and resolved. 3. We respectfully request that a Feasibility Study for Edgewater Elementary School be planned, fully budgeted and conducted in 2013. 4. We respectfully request that funds are allocated to Edgewater Elementary School as part of Governor Martin O'Malley’s plan (announced on January 10, 2012) for new school construction; with said funding immediately available for construction plans following the completion of the Feasibility Study.

Details:Our children are getting sick. The teachers and staff, that love and educate our children, are getting sick. The long term exposure, under these conditions; are hazards to the children’s developing bodies. Daily exposure causes headaches, asthma attacks, respiratory infections and more. Edgewater Elementary School (EES) is 59 years old. It is the oldest school in Anne Arundel County (AACO) to never have undergone a major renovation. In 2005, a MGT Study was conducted and rated EES as the school with the second worse building conditions of all schools in AACO. The only school rated worse was Belle Grove Elementary and they now occupy a brand new school. The budget proposed for 2013 does not have EES slated for a Feasibility Study. A Feasibility Study is slated for 2016, which means construction wouldn’t begin until 2019. The physical and environmental systems at EES are horrendous!

- Mold is visible on the walls and vents. - Leaking steam pipes are potential hazards for burns. - Ceiling tiles are buckling - which are used for asbestos abatement.- Pervasive musty smells and strange smelling steam steadily escaping from heating units. - Many classrooms have windows that won’t open because they are painted shut.- Even if the windows could open they can’t be because of multiple layers of peeling lead paint. - There are window air conditioning units that can't be used because they are so loud they obstruct learning. They are used at night to prepare the room as best possible by morning.- Air quality studies, conducted by the county, show elevated levels of CO2, high humidity levels and elevated levels of large particulates.-Preliminary findings by an independent consultant hired by the county has found mold and leaking steam pipes in the crawl space as well as an ineffective HVAC system in each classroom resulting in our unhealthy environment.- This year multiple families have withdrawn their children from the school because of continued respiratory infections and asthma while in school.- Dozens of teachers and students are also experiencing new onset asthma or the worsening of existing asthma, multiple sinus infections, headaches, bloody noses and rashes. - Many more parents are considering removing their children from school and parents of prospective students are looking at other school alternatives.- Our school is at 120% capacity, 20% of which are Hispanic. - The community is growing rapidly and many schools in the South River Feeder System, including Central Elementary, are way over capacity.- Our children's health and safety are at risk. - The horrible building conditions are interfering with their ability to learn!- Our children cannot afford to wait until 2016 and beyond for a new school! Their futures depend on it!